Arkansas Judicial SystemNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Arkansas Judicial SystemTue, 01 Nov 2016 23:25:41 +0000Arkansas Judicial Systemhttp://ualrpublicradio.org
Jacob Kauffman Issue 7, the Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act, is dead…or is it? Last week the Arkansas Supreme Court, in a 5-2 decision, invalidated about 12,000 signatures and consequently the ballot measure. On Monday, Attorney John Wesley Hall petitioned for a rehearing. Two-Way: Attorney John Wesley Hall's Last Minute Plan To Breathe New Life Into Medical Marijuana http://ualrpublicradio.org/post/two-way-attorney-john-wesley-halls-last-minute-plan-breathe-new-life-medical-marijuana
68121 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgMon, 31 Oct 2016 19:12:38 +0000Two-Way: Attorney John Wesley Hall's Last Minute Plan To Breathe New Life Into Medical Marijuana Jacob Kauffman A few talking points against two medical marijuana ballot measures, many of them familiar, have cropped up over the past few weeks as opponents continue to make their case in a string of press conferences. Supporters of medical marijuana have heard them before and have retorts at the ready. KUAR has recently covered some of the arguments put forward by Governor Asa Hutchinson, Surgeon General Greg Bledsoe, and the Family Council. In last week's podcast the deputy director of Arkansans For Compassionate Care responded to a string of arguments put forward through the Hutchinson administration. Little Rock Police Department Chief Kenton Buckner and Jerry Cox with the Arkansas Family Council have said backers of medical marijuana are deliberately deceiving voters, calling both ballot measures a Trojan horse for recreational use. Denham's response, "We were started by patients and their families, real Arkansans that need medical cannabis for a variety of medical conditions like multipleMedical Marijuana Backers Respond To Five Talking Points From Oppositionhttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/medical-marijuana-backers-respond-five-talking-points-opposition
66121 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgWed, 21 Sep 2016 18:36:41 +0000Medical Marijuana Backers Respond To Five Talking Points From OppositionJacob Kauffman The Capitol Arts and Grounds Commission is meeting next week to review proposals for a slate of new monuments. Tuesday’s review of monuments and memorials includes displays for the 10 Commandments, Satan, Gold Star Families, and atheists. State Senator Jason Rapert, a Republican from Bigelow, helped pass legislation in 2015 paving the way for a 10 Commandments monument – so long as it was funded and erected with private dollars. In his legislation Senator Rapert argues displaying the 10 Commandments, as outlined in religious texts, is appropriate because it’s an “important component of the moral foundation of the laws and legal system of the United States…” Opponents argued it would open the door for displays representing a vast multitude of faiths and moral codes. It has generated that effect – at least in the form of proposals - from the Satanic Temple and the Saline Atheist and Skeptic Society. A Hindu society has also contemplated proposing a monument for the state Capitol grounds10 Commandments And Satan To Square Off In Capitol Grounds Commission Meetinghttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/10-commandments-and-satan-square-capitol-grounds-commission-meeting
65483 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgFri, 09 Sep 2016 18:16:37 +000010 Commandments And Satan To Square Off In Capitol Grounds Commission MeetingJacob Kauffman Arkansans very well may have two medical marijuana ballot measures to vote on in November, with the battle firmly immersed in both political and scientific debates. A Tale Of Two Surgeons General: Greg Bledsoe & Joycelyn Elders Split On Medical Marijuanahttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/tale-two-surgeons-general-greg-bledsoe-joycelyn-elders-split-medical-marijuana
64971 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgWed, 31 Aug 2016 12:42:22 +0000A Tale Of Two Surgeons General: Greg Bledsoe Associated PressA group opposed to a ballot proposal that would place limits on damages in medical lawsuits is asking Arkansas' highest court to block voting on the proposed constitutional amendment in November. Arkansas Court Asked To Block Measure On Medical Lawsuitshttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-court-asked-block-measure-medical-lawsuits
64888 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgMon, 29 Aug 2016 17:51:48 +0000Arkansas Court Asked To Block Measure On Medical LawsuitsAssociated PressArkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is asking the nation's highest court to weigh in on whether a 1994 federal law prevents Arkansas State Police from releasing all driver and survivor information on accident reports.Arkansas Asks US Supreme Court To Weigh In On Crash Reportshttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-asks-us-supreme-court-weigh-crash-reports
64768 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgFri, 26 Aug 2016 21:14:36 +0000Arkansas Asks US Supreme Court To Weigh In On Crash ReportsSarah Whites-KoditschekFor the first time in over 20 years, Arkansas prisoners will have access to federal grants to go to college. Shorter College in North Little Rock has been selected by the U.S. Department of Education as part of a three year experiment to send inmates to school. Shorter College says it will offer a two-year associate degree in business to 250 selected inmates as part of the program. “To be involved in a program that would serve persons who are incarcerated is simply an extension of what we would already do normally to a population that we did not have access to,” said Jerome Green, the school’s president. Green says self-employment is often the best alternative for inmates who struggle to find employment upon release because of their criminal record. “This is important because many people will not be considered for employment by employers because of the fact that they are convicted felons,” he said. A 1994 crime bill, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, had previouslyArkansas Inmates Given Funds To Study As Part Of Experimental Programhttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-inmates-given-funds-study-part-experimental-program
64637 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgWed, 24 Aug 2016 21:25:41 +0000Arkansas Inmates Given Funds To Study As Part Of Experimental ProgramSarah Whites-KoditschekA federal lawsuit alleges twelve percent of the city of Sherwood is being funded through predatory practices of a bad checks court system. The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas partnered with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law to file the case against the city and Pulaski County. Attorney Bettina Brownstein says the city imposes a ceaseless punishment of jail time and escalating fines for those who write bad checks and can’t cover the cost of an initial court fine. “It’s the inability of the person to ever have a finite punishment. There’s no way to stop being punished for this,” said Brownstein. ACLU Arkansas Director Rita Sklar says court procedures are not recorded and defendants are not given access to representation. “They’re making money on the backs of the poor because they can,” said Sklar. “There are other ways of dealing with people who do write bad checks.” The suit, filed on behalf of five residents, says the practice targets some of the poorestFederal Lawsuit Claims Fines From Hot Checks Create 'Debtors Prison' in Sherwoodhttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/federal-lawsuit-claims-fines-hot-checks-create-debtors-prison-sherwood
64541 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgTue, 23 Aug 2016 15:45:26 +0000Federal Lawsuit Claims Fines From Hot Checks Create 'Debtors Prison' in SherwoodJacob KauffmanThe Arkansas Division of Youth Services is planning to stop using its Arkansas-based providers in all but one of the state's juvenile treatment centers and correctional facilities, in favor of a single company from Indiana. At a meeting of the Children and Youth Committee on Monday, Interim Director Betty Guhman said the state will also boost its per-bed, per-day rate for juvenile offenders by 58 percent – from $147 a day to $232. State Senator Linda Chesterfield said she wants to know from where the additional funds come. “We have asked for increases in that funding for years. They swore there was not a dime there. All of the sudden, out of the blue of the western sky we’ve got enough money for a room at the Waldorf-Astoria,” said Chesterfield. “The folks from out of town get all the money that was going to invest in Arkansas.” State officials told the Democrat from Little Rock that internal cuts to other Youth Services programs will fund the higher rate, but couldn’t specify what isArkansas Youth Services Look To Boost Rates, Switch To Indiana Provider For Residential Centershttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-youth-services-look-boost-rates-switch-indiana-provider-residential-centers
64114 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgMon, 15 Aug 2016 19:12:10 +0000Arkansas Youth Services Look To Boost Rates, Switch To Indiana Provider For Residential CentersAssociated PressAttorneys for a former employee of Arkansas Treasurer Dennis Milligan want a federal judge to recuse from a lawsuit against Milligan. The motion asking Judge Brian Miller to step aside was filed Friday morning for David Singer, who is suing Milligan and Milligan's chief of staff, Jim Harris. Singer alleges an email by Harris and released after Singer's firing was defamatory because it described him as mentally unstable. The motion comes after the trial was halted Thursday when Harris complained of chest pains and alleges Harris may have been faking. An attorney for Singer questioned the legitimacy of the emergency and said he believes Harris would be "fine" by Friday. Miller called the comment "despicable." The motion says Miller should recuse because jurors could learn of his comment and be tainted. Judge Asked To Recuse From Suit Against Arkansas Treasurerhttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/judge-asked-recuse-suit-against-arkansas-treasurer
63976 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgFri, 12 Aug 2016 15:14:00 +0000Judge Asked To Recuse From Suit Against Arkansas TreasurerAssociated PressLawyers for eight death row inmates in Arkansas say their challenge of the state's execution procedures should warrant a U.S. Supreme Court review that would likely revisit the high court's ruling on an Oklahoma case. The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled against the inmates last month, but their lawyers want the court to withhold a final order pending a possible U.S. Supreme Court review. Part of the Arkansas ruling was based on the U.S. Supreme Court approving the use of midazolam in executions. Amid a challenge over the sedative, Oklahoma executed one prisoner with a drug not listed on its protocol and later nearly executed a second inmate. The Arkansas inmates' lawyers filed papers late Monday saying the U.S. Supreme Court has a good reason to revisit the Oklahoma case. Arkansas Execution Case Could Lead Court To Revisit Oklahomahttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-execution-case-could-lead-court-revisit-oklahoma
62602 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgTue, 19 Jul 2016 18:17:15 +0000Arkansas Execution Case Could Lead Court To Revisit OklahomaJacob Kauffman Gov. Asa Hutchinson is hoping Arkansas will resume executing death row inmates before January, when one of the three drugs used in the state’s lethal injection mixture will expire. Arkansas Governor Hopes To Start Executions By Januaryhttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-governor-hopes-start-executions-january
62239 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgWed, 13 Jul 2016 17:40:13 +0000Arkansas Governor Hopes To Start Executions By JanuaryJacob KauffmanScores of young people made up the bulk of a diverse crowd about 200 on the state Capitol steps on Friday, calling for an end to police violence against African-Americans. The show of support for the Black Lives Matter movement came after the latest round of national incidents involving police officers killing seemingly cooperative young, black men. Organizers under the auspices of Hands Up, Guns Down also unequivocally condemned the killing of police officers in Dallas. Check out the first 15 minutes of KUAR’s Week In Review Podcast to hear speeches from the rally and further reporting on Arkansas’s intersection with the Black Lives Matter movement dating back to the death of 15 year old Bobby Moore III in 2012. There were multiple rallies and demonstrations in Little Rock over the weekend. People pictured here were at an event that ran from 12-2 p.m on Friday. Slideshow: Sounding The 'Black Lives Matter' Refrain In Arkansashttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/slideshow-sounding-black-lives-matter-refrain-arkansas
62051 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgSun, 10 Jul 2016 11:00:00 +0000Slideshow: Sounding The 'Black Lives Matter' Refrain In ArkansasJacob Kauffman Eight death row inmates are asking the Arkansas Supreme Court to reconsider its decision to uphold a state law that keeps information about lethal injection drugs secret from the public. Attorneys for the inmates filed a petition on Thursday. Justices say the request to reconsider will be addressed before the court’s ruling goes into effect. Governor Asa Hutchinson said he is proceeding as planned to resume executions. “We wait for the mandate and the Supreme Court to do its business. We wait for the attorney general to write a letter saying these inmates are ready for dates to be set. Then we’ll proceed from there and continue to look at the drug supply issue," said the Republican governor. One of the three drugs used by the state for executions expired last week. Previously the drug supplier declined to re-supply the state. Attorneys for the death row inmates argue the state secrecy law regarding the drug supply could lead to a cruel and unusual administering of punishment. ArkansasDeath Row Inmates Ask For Second Look At Secrecy Ruling, Governor Hutchinson Is Unfazedhttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/death-row-inmates-ask-second-look-secrecy-ruling-governor-hutchinson-unfazed
61913 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgThu, 07 Jul 2016 23:06:16 +0000Death Row Inmates Ask For Second Look At Secrecy Ruling, Governor Hutchinson Is UnfazedAssociated PressArkansas' stockpile of a paralytic drug needed for the executions of eight death row inmates will expire at midnight Thursday, leaving the state without a means to resume executions for the first time in a decade. Arkansas Execution Drug Expiring, Governor Says Find Morehttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-execution-drug-expiring-governor-says-find-more
61547 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgThu, 30 Jun 2016 20:47:36 +0000 Arkansas Execution Drug Expiring, Governor Says Find MoreAssociated PressArkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge says she will request new execution dates for eight death row inmates after the Arkansas Supreme Court uphold the state's execution secrecy law. Arkansas Court Gives OK To Execute Inmates, Upholds Secrecyhttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-court-gives-ok-execute-inmates-upholds-secrecy
61138 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgThu, 23 Jun 2016 14:28:37 +0000Arkansas Court Gives OK To Execute Inmates, Upholds SecrecyAssociated PressA preliminary trial date has been set for a former Arkansas women's prison chaplain charged with 50 counts of sexual assault after authorities say he coerced three inmates into engaging in sexual acts. Kenneth Dewitt has pleaded not guilty to the charges. A Jackson County Circuit Court judge agreed Wednesday to combine the charges brought on behalf of the three women into one trial, preliminarily set for Aug. 11. Dewitt resigned from the McPherson women's prison unit in September 2014 after admitting to having a sexual relationship with a subordinate in the chaplain's office. Dewitt's attorney, Jeff Rosenzweig, said in court Wednesday that he would continue negotiations with the prosecuting attorney's office. Prosecutor Henry Boyce wouldn't say whether a plea deal is being discussed and says he's preparing for trial. Trial Date Set For Ex-Chaplain Accused Of Sex Assaulthttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/trial-date-set-ex-chaplain-accused-sex-assault
61104 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgWed, 22 Jun 2016 20:55:12 +0000Trial Date Set For Ex-Chaplain Accused Of Sex AssaultAssociated PressAttorneys for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland want to amend a lawsuit challenging Arkansas' abortion restrictions, including dropping a challenge to a law requiring abortion pill providers to follow U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines. Planned Parenthood Asks To Amend Challenge To Arkansas Lawshttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/planned-parenthood-asks-amend-challenge-arkansas-laws
58298 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgWed, 27 Apr 2016 22:08:26 +0000Planned Parenthood Asks To Amend Challenge To Arkansas LawsAssociated PressA former Arkansas Treasurer's office employee is asking to move part of his defamation lawsuit against Treasurer Dennis Milligan and Milligan Chief of Staff Jim Harris to state court. Former employee David Singer filed a motion in federal court Wednesday asking to move his Whistleblower Act claim and other state-based claims to circuit court. Singer argues the state waived a portion of its immunity claims when it requested to move the matter to federal court. Attorney Byron Freeland for both Milligan and Harris says the court likely can't remand the whistleblower claim because it was filed after the case was moved to federal court. Singer lawsuit claims among other things that Harris wrongfully released a defamatory email after his firing. Ex-Treasurer's Employee Asks To Move Whistleblower Claimhttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/ex-treasurers-employee-asks-move-whistleblower-claim
58294 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgWed, 27 Apr 2016 21:57:32 +0000 Ex-Treasurer's Employee Asks To Move Whistleblower ClaimAssociated PressThe director of the state agency responsible for housing and treating Arkansas' youth offenders has announced his resignation. The Department of Human Services announced Thursday that its Division of Youth Services director, Marcus Devine, had resigned. Spokeswoman Amy Webb says Devine met with staff Thursday to announce he was leaving immediately for a position in the private sector. Webb says she does not know what that position is. Devine, a former Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality official, took the director's job in March 2015, nearly four months after former director Tracy Steele resigned. Devine told a legislative committee last month that he believed the state system should only be locking up juvenile felony offenders. Webb says DHS Deputy Director Keesa Smith, who supervised Devine, will serve as interim director. A statement from DHS: Marcus Devine, Director of the Department of Human Service’s Division of Youth Services (DYS), has resigned his position. Devine, 44Arkansas Youth Services Director Resignshttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-youth-services-director-resigns
58026 as http://ualrpublicradio.orgThu, 21 Apr 2016 22:45:08 +0000Arkansas Youth Services Director Resigns